Gate-latch



J. B. TURLEY.

GATE LATCH.

No. 595,030 Patented De0,7,1897.

UNlThD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BREOKINRIDGE TURLEY, OF MURPHY, TEXAS.

GATE-LATCH.

SPEOIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,030, dated December 7, 1897.

' Application filed June 7,1897. Serial no. 639,751. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BRECKINRIDGE TURLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Murphy, in the county of Collin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate'Latches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gate-latches, and especially to the provision of a simple and detachable latch which may be easily screwed into a gate-post and provide means for securely holding a gate closed, the gate being locked automatically as it swings back against the post.

More especially my invention relates to the provision of a screw-threaded bar having pivoted to one of its preferably square sides the gravity-latch, which is bent upon itself at its free end in order to form a stop limiting the lower throw of the latch, while its outwardlyturned end serves as a handle by which the latch may be raised. In order to form a stop to limit the upward throw of the latch, an angled-portion lever strikes against the end wall of an elongated aperture through which the latch works, while a portion of the latch is bent underneath the screw-threaded bar, to which the said latch is pivoted, which also cooperates to limit its upward throw.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more clearly described, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which,with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings- Figure 1 represents a perspective View of my improved latch shown as attached to the gate-post with the gate in a locked relation, the position of the gate-latch when open being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the latch.

Reference being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designatesa bar of iron, preferably squared, and at one end is a screwthreaded portion by which the said bar may be screwed into a post, a wrench being applied to the square portion to secure it in place. Near the outer end of the said bar is a pivot B, on which one end of the latch O is pivoted. This latch is bent downward, thence inwardly under the said bar, and at the point C is bent upward and passes through the elongated aperture A in the bar A. The upper portion of the said latch is bent upon itself at C and thence outward at right angles, which outwardlybent portion is designed to strike against the upper surface of the bar carrying the latch in order to limit its downward throw, while its extreme end may be used as a handle by which the latch may be raised out of the path of the swinging end of the gate.

The upward throw of the latch is limited by the inwardly-turned portion of the said latch at the point 0 which strikes against the under surface of the latch-supporting bar when the latch is raised in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

From the foregoing it will be noted that my improved gate-latch is automatic in its action, aswhen the gate is closed the latch hangs down in the path of the swinging end thereof and, striking the angled end of the latch, causes the same to pass over the top rail of the gate and drop by gravity on the opposite side.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A gate-latch, comprising in combination with the squared bar, screw-threaded at one end, the gravity latch-bar, pivoted to one side of the said bar, thence inwardly bent, thence downwardly and vertically, forming the gateengaging portion, the said latch passed through an elongated aperture in the bar, its upper end bent upon itself, then bent at right angles to the bar, forming a stop, and a handle, whereby the latch may be raised, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BREGKINRIDGE 'lURLEY. /Vitnessesz B. W. PLANT, J. 0. JORDAN. 

